The People of the Leeward Islands, 1620-1860

The Leeward Islands form part of the Lesser Antilles, which stretch from Puerto Rico to the fringes of Venezuela. Beginning in the seventeenth century, the Lesser Antilles attracted immigrants from Europe, initially from Spain but soon also from the British Isles, France, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The Leeward Islands consist of Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, the Virgin Islands, St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Anguilla. While most of the people in the Leewards today are of African origin, there is little data in colonial records to positively identify individuals by race; nevertheless, the people listed in this work are almost certainly of European origin--and most of them derive from Great Britain and Ireland. This book from David Dobson is based on research into manuscript and published sources, mainly located in Great Britain, but also in the West Indies.